1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a parking apparatus for a vehicle that assists with driving of the vehicle to a target parking position by automatic steering.
2. Description of the Related Art
As an apparatus that assists a driver with parking a vehicle, art such as that disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 3-14767 has been known. This a records a steering wheel operation from a predetermined position (i.e., a position from which the parking operation is started) until the vehicle reaches the target parking position. An automatic steering apparatus then regenerates the recorded steering wheel operation, thereby facilitating the parking operations thereafter.
With the foregoing apparatus, when the regenerating operation is set, the steering angle is returned to the neutral position before the vehicle starts moving in order to make the initial steering angle when regenerating the steering wheel operation match the initial steering angle of when the steering wheel operation was recorded. Depending on the path to the start-parking position (i.e., the position from which parking is to be started), however, the steering angle may be great at the start-parking position. In this case, the steering wheel is automatically turned suddenly before the vehicle starts to move, thereby possibly giving an inexperienced driver an unpleasant sensation. Also, when the steering wheel is turned while the vehicle is stopped, i.e., so-called stationary steering, more force is required to turn the steering wheel than is required when turning the steering wheel while the vehicle is moving. Accordingly, turning the steering wheel while the vehicle is stationary places a load on the steering system. Further, when the start-parking position and the direction of the vehicle when regenerating the steering wheel operation differ from the start-parking position and the direction of the vehicle when the steering wheel operation was recorded, the parking position after regenerating the steering wheel operation differs increasingly from the target position the greater the distance between the target parking position and the start-parking position. In this difference, the effect of the difference in the direction of the vehicle is particularly great.